Do-it-yourself construction of an aviary for a German shepherd in a private yard

The most optimal conditions for keeping a German Shepherd are outdoors. The dog, even in 20-degree frost, feels great in the yard. However, a loving owner will definitely arrange an enclosure for a shepherd dog in the courtyard of a private house.

Why does a shepherd need an aviary

The dog is advised to acquire from a very young age, so that the puppy gets used to new owners and learns to obey them. It is for the puppy that it is recommended to build an aviary in the first place.

The reasons are as follows:

• The puppy needs education and training. Part of this training is going to the toilet. If the puppy spends this time in the aviary, the owner will not have to take out heaps of feces and scrub the puddles, scolding the dog along the way. It is much easier to toilet train your shepherd in an aviary.
• A small puppy needs companionship. If he is left alone, he finds entertainment for himself: chewing on slippers, sharpening his teeth on the sofa, gutting pillows. The puppy is left with special toys in the aviary, and he is quite happy with this.
• The fence protects the puppy himself from unpleasant "acquaintances". In addition, over time, the dog learns to consider the enclosure its personal territory, its "home" and maintains a peculiar order here.
• We need an aviary and a whelping bitch. At this time, the dog is very wary of excessive attention and tries to protect its puppies.
• The aviary is also useful for an adult shepherd dog during noisy gatherings, parties, street parties. A large number of guests in the controlled area makes the animal nervous. But while she is in the aviary, the shepherd will consider itself free from performing its duties.

The fence will protect the dog itself from overly intrusive guests.

Basic design requirements

An aviary for a German or Caucasian shepherd dog in the courtyard of a private house must meet the standards: size, location, design depends on the size and character of the dog.

Mandatory requirements:

1. The design depends on the weather conditions in the region. In the southern regions, the aviary is made open: on all sides the walls are covered with a net. If the region is cold, at least one wall of the enclosure is made deaf.
2. The booth is required. If the climate is warm, they build a simple wooden version without insulation. If frosts reach temperatures below -20 C, it is worth equipping a winter road. For this, part of the booth is well insulated and the dog is transferred to it for the winter.
3. The correct aviary must be placed on props. The floor of the structure must not touch the ground.
4. The roof of the fence can be single or double sloped, but with a sufficient slope to protect the animal from rain.
5. Dimensions are determined by the height of the dog and the purpose of the pen. So, if a shepherd dog reaches 50 cm at the withers, it will need at least 6 m², if 65 - 8 m². If even higher, then 10 m².
6. The area for a dog with puppies should be larger: 9, 12 and 15 m² with the same dimensions.

At 20-degree frosts, a winter road must be equipped for a bitch with cubs.

How to choose a place for an aviary in the courtyard of a private house

An aviary for a shepherd dog with their own hands is built so that the dog can see everything or almost everything that is happening in the yard. Sheepdogs are very contact animals. You need to play with puppies for a long time, an adult dog needs to see and hear its owner and his family members to stay calm.

The requirements are as follows:

• remoteness from the road, as sharp noises from the street irritate the dog;
• a poultry house or other shed with animals and a dog enclosure must be built at opposite ends of the yard;
• it is not bad if the aviary is surrounded by trees and shrubs on one or both sides, since a green fence reduces the overall noise level;
• the minimum distance from the garage or car workshop is 50 m, as the animal is very sensitive to the smell of gasoline.

If you equip the aviary close to the fence, the height of the latter should be at least 3 m.

How to make an aviary for a shepherd dog

The do-it-yourself shepherd aviary is made according to ready-made drawings, but taking into account the size of the animal. The project consists of 3 parts:

• winter road - an insulated room with a booth, which communicates with this zone by a manhole;
• platform - a flooring made of boards, raised above the ground, sheathed with boards from 2 sides;
• open area - designed for walking and coping with natural needs.

In the middle and southern latitudes, the platform and the open area are combined.

Step-by-step instruction

To equip the aviary, you will need a bar, boards, a metal profile for frames, reinforcement for a welded lattice.

1. The area for the open-air cage is released: the top layer of the earth is removed, the excavation is deepened by 20 cm and covered with fine gravel.
2. Supports for frames are installed along the perimeter: brick posts or concrete.
3. A frame made of 150 * 150 mm timber is made and attached to the foundation. You can weld a metal frame - it is more reliable.
4. Boards 30 mm thick are treated with antiseptics and sanded well so that the dog does not splinter his paws. Plank the boards and adjust them carefully. If possible, floors are made with a slight slope to get rid of liquid.
5. The frame is made from a bar of the same section or welded from a metal profile. The second option is better, since the walls themselves will have to be made of metal rods. It will be easier to attach them to the iron frame. Do not use the netting as a fence. An adult shepherd dog will easily break it.
6. Filling of two walls - open, made of rods: welded in steps of 8-10 cm on the frame. The other two are planked. In northern latitudes, they are additionally finished with plywood or OSB.
7. The door is designed in the open part of the aviary, since a metal gate is much stronger than a wooden one. It is also recommended to provide a small door with rings under the bowls of food and water to serve food to the dog while in the enclosure.
8. Most often, a dog enclosure is equipped with a pitched roof. To do this, one side of the aviary is raised by 15 cm. Then the metal profile is welded in the direction from the high wall to the lower one, and a wooden lathing is placed on the check.
9. For the roof, it is better to take soundproofing material, like slate, ondulin. You can insulate the roof by hemming the chipboard from the bottom.

The winter road is insulated more thoroughly. Here, the wall is sheathed with chipboard or boards, and layers of mineral wool are laid between them.

An open-air cage for two shepherd dogs is no more difficult than a pen for 1 dog. The dimensions are doubled. Divide the territory with a blank wall or a wall with a closed bottom. Each "personal territory" is equipped according to the same scheme: a winter road or a booth, a platform and a platform. Do not put a lattice wall between the two dog enclosures, otherwise the animals will fight.